First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my wonderful husband!!  I can’t believe we just celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary.  I’m not sure where those 10 years went, or how it’s possible that Christian is 8 and a “tween”.

Ok, here’s the update you’ve been waiting 24 days for…

CHRISTIAN – Christian is having a great school year so far.  He doesn’t really have close friends in his class, but it seems like a great mix of kids (28 kids in his class!).  I saw his teacher last night and she said that if I hadn’t told her about his ADHD before school started she wouldn’t have known he had it!  Although did I mention she’s in charge of 28 3rd graders?  He’s feeling good about how he’s doing and it’s wonderful!  She assigns light homework, too, which helps a lot.  Christian’s happy to be in Chess again, and was excited to be categorized as ‘Advanced’ 🙂  The soccer season is off to a good start.  I think they’re 1-1 so far, and they play on the BIG soccer fields this year.

BRANDON – Brandon is loving Kindergarten.  He loves library and PE and music and lunch and recess.  Christian took him to go buy Breakfast one morning and he thought that was really cool too.  It’s been fun to see him open up this year.  He’s been making friends and just really seems to enjoy himself.  He started chess last week also, and seemed to enjoy it.  I think Christian liked going over to sign him out of his classroom and take him to chess.  The biggest surprise to me is just how much Brandon is loving soccer!  This is the kid that has NEVER shown an interest in team sports, aside from the trophies at the end.  He’s having a BLAST!  Now I just can’t wait until they publish a game schedule for him so I can get it circulated!

ALYSON – Alyson is thrilled to be starting her music classes again next week.  She’s set that Daddy’s going to take her, and that’s just that.  She’s potty training herself… at least once a day I hear “Don’t need PullUps any more!”.  Of course, she does, but she does make it several hours without an accident now.  She’s been very whiny and demanding lately… I hope that phase passes quickly.  She’s still having fun at daycare twice a week (once this week, she was sick on Tuesday).  She’s having an easier time letting me leave.  She can almost write her name, which is really cool 🙂  Swimming has been… ummm… a challenge for her since she moved up to the preschool class.  For the first 2 weeks, she did absolutely nothing but sit on the step and whimper Mommy occasionally.  Now, she’s opened up and spends her time splashing her class and hitting her teacher on the head with her noodle.  Still not doing what he asks them to do.  I’m not sure which is worse.  I’m really on the fence about whether to sign her up for next session.  She’s enjoying it, but now that she’s getting disruptive I’m not sure.

ME – Busy, busy, as usual.  It’s funny… last month I was lamenting that the phone wasn’t ringing.   I should know better.  August is supposed to be a slow month.  Now I’m swamped with… let’s see…

• a new client who is has no bookkeeping records for 2006 and needs to file a tax return by 10/15
• incorporating my business effective 1/1/08, and all the paperwork that brings
• more tax returns on extension
• bookkeeping clients that have to file 3rd quarter returns next month
• getting clients moved over to new remote access and paperless systems (so I can delegate work more easily to staff!)
• marketing, marketing, marketing
  • I joined the Chamber of Commerce and have been meeting lots of business owners
  • I licensed a QuickBooks seminar program and will be giving 2 seminars a month for a while – the work to get this set up was enormous, finding vendors and establishing a location, printing workbooks, setting up the invitation mailings… the list goes on and on
  • I’ll have an ad in the Lynnwood Business Directory that will go out to 11,000+ households January 8.
  • I considered signing up for a Welcome to the Neighborhood program that markets to new homeowners, but it was more expensive than I’m ready to commit.
  • And keeping my eyes and ears open for other opportunities

  Oh yeah, and I’m co-team-mom for Brandon’s soccer team.

BILL – Bill had the opportunity to record a demo for a voice actress recently.  It was a very interesting project, and she was a really cool person.  His web hosting business is growing, too.  I’m not sure how he manages to do the church podcast every week, special DVDs for the special events at church (baptisms, etc), his web hosting work, helping with soccer practice, AND everything else!

Whew!  I’ll try to get some pictures added later, but no guarantees 🙂